Five-nation air defense exercise to kick off
Five-nation air defense exercise to kick off
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia is to coordinate a major air defense exercise under the Five-Power Defense Arrangement (FPDA) that groups it with Australia, Britain, New Zealand and Singapore, defense officials said yesterday.
The eight-day combined exercise beginning Saturday over peninsular Malaysia and Singapore airspace will be conducted by the Integrated Air Defense System headquarters (IADS) based in Butterworth in the northern state of Penang.
Codenamed "Major ADEX 96-4," the exercise is to be held under the command of Air Vice Marshal E.J. McCormack of the IADS.
"The aim of the ADEX is to exercise together the air defense forces of FPDA nations in preserving the integrity of Malaysian and Singaporean airspace against a simulated external air threat," a ministry official said.
Defense forces from the member nations will act both as defenders and aggressors during the exercise.
Participants include the Royal Australian Air Force FA-18 and F-III aircraft and Australian navy ship HMAS Adelaide and HS-748 aircraft. Britain will be participating with Royal Navy ship HMS Exeter and a VC aircraft from its Royal Air Force.
Malaysia will provide its air force Hawk, MB-339, C-130, Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft while its navy ships will deploy one battery of 35 mm Oerlikon guns and Starbust missiles.
Singapore will deploy its air force's F-16, F-5E, A-4S, KC- 130, E-2C, C-130, F-50, Fennac and Super Puma aircraft and its navy ship RSS Valour. Its air defense artillery will also be deployed with the improved Hawk missile system and a 35mm gun battery.
The FPDA was formed in the 1970s to defend Singapore and Malaysia ahead of the withdrawal of British defense forces from Singapore. Britain will hand its last Asian imperial bastion, Hong Kong, over to China in July 1997.
The air drill follows FPDA's two-week combined naval defense exercise, codenamed "Exercise Starfish", which began Aug. 31 and is scheduled to end today.
The FPDA is also planning an ambitious air and naval exercise called "Exercise Flying Fish," scheduled for the spring of 1997, defense officials said.